Healed Wounds and Locked Secrets
by Judy.Laura.L
Summary: After completing a mission for the Rebellion, Qui-gon Jinn sneaks off to Tatooine to visit an old friend. AU one-shot


**Hello everyone, for the first time in months I'm finally able to write again. I've been so busy with graduation and my new job. Plus I've been dealing with a bad case of writer's block for the longest time. I was working on this story during my free time to try and get my feet back in the Star Wars verse. It's just a one-shot to this AU world I've been thinking about writing someday. I just thought I'd write it out and see how it turns out. Thank you so much, and I hope you guys will enjoy it. Yes, there's a little Qui-gon/Shmi in it.**

**Warning: mention past rape.**

"After completing a mission for the Rebellion, Qui-gon Jinn sneaks off to Tatooine to visit an old friend."

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The star systems were a blur as the starfighter traveled by lightspeed to Qui-gon's destination. After returning from their latest mission in gathering Imperial intelligence, Qui-gon had left his apprentice Obi-wan to report to the Rebel Council on Dantooine. He could already see their disapproving expressions when they'd find out about his absence. However, Qui-gon made a promise, and he intended to keep it.

He pulled his fighter out of hyperspace, and the dusty, sand world of Tatooine appeared before him. The entire planet was a desert with only gangsters, tusken raiders, and poor moisture farmers as its inhabitants. Controlled by Jabba the Hutt and lying on the edge of the Outer Rim, the Empire didn't bother to keep an eye on it. The perfect place for anyone who wanted to hide from the Empire.

Qui-gon landed his ship on the outskirts of Mos Espa. Putting on his disguise, he made sure his hood hid most of his face, and that his lightsaber was covered before grabbing his package and making his way into the city.

The Twin Suns were at their highest peak, causing everyone to hide in the shade. Already, Qui-gon could feel the heat burning into him, but still he continued. He passed stalls and bars with men drinking in the shade.

"Happy Empire Day!" a drunken voice yelled at the top of his lungs. Qui-gon could see the man standing on top of one of the tables with a pint of what was probably Corellian ale. He could hear the man act out one of the Emperor's speeches, and his friends laughing at him. Still, Qui-gon made his way to his destination, nodding at an old woman selling drinks at her stand until he finally made it.

The shop was not significant compared to its neighbors. With droid and ship parts lying around and a sign that said _Watto's Parts_, it could have passed off as any other shop in the neighborhood. But that was not what had Qui-gon's attention. What had his attention was the woman inside the shop as she talked with a customer. In her mid-thirties, her once smooth features had aged and roughened by the years spent in the hot Tatooine sands, but still contained traces of the beauty she had been in her day and still contained now. The long blue peasant dress she wore hid her slender curves that Qui-gon remembered her possessing. Her dark ebony hair was tied back in a thick bun. Her smiling lips that were like a candle in the darkest room. Yet it was her eyes that hooked Qui-gon. Those deep brown eyes that contained love, compassion, and strength despite all the pain and struggles she had been through in her life.

As if sensing his presence, Shmi Skywalker looked up from her bargaining, and for a moment froze when her deep brown eyes met his solid blue. In that one moment so many emotions that had been pent up for months were exchanged in that single glance before Shmi had to look away and returned to her work.

Qui-gon moved on, bought a drink from that elderly woman's stand, and waited in the shade for when Shmi was sent home for the night. It was a routine they had developed over the years whenever Qui-gon would come to visit.

Hours later, Shmi was finally able to leave. She smiled at him as she walked over to him. "You scared the rest of my customers away."

Qui-gon chuckled. "I didn't forget Ani's Lifeday." He held up the package for Shi to see.

"Just seeing you will make his Lifeday," Shmi said to him.

They began their walk over to the apartment where Shmi and her son lived. During the walk, Qui-gon began his conversation with her. "I didn't see Ani in the shop with you."

"Watto had him run a few errands before letting him have the rest of the day off," Shmi explained to him. "Ani said he was going to hang out with his friends before coming home to work on some of his projects."

Little Ani was a prodigy in mechanics even at the age of ten years old. Over the years, Qui-gon had seen the boy create and rebuild all kinds of machinery.

They stopped at a fruit stand where Shmi traded to bring some for Ani's Lifeday dinner. When they continued, Qui-gon sensed something off. "You're troubled."

Shmi didn't deny it, knowing that it was effortless. He had known her for years, and it was easy to lower her guard around him. "Anakin has begun to ask questions of his father," she confessed. "I don't believe he's ready for that yet."

Qui-gon looked straight ahead as people passed them and they continued to walk. Memories of the events that happened ten years ago flashed before him. The circumstances behind Anakin Skywalker's birth had been unusual. Before he was even born, both Jedi and Sith knew he was special and powerful as he grew inside Shmi. The day he was born was the day everything in the galaxy had changed: the Republic turned into an Empire, the Sith rose to power, and the Jedi purges began. So many things had happened the day Shmi had delivered Anakin into the galaxy. Things that for the past ten years Shmi had strived to protect Anakin from with Qui-gon's help. Attachment was forbidden for a Jedi, but ever since the Jedi were outlawed, and Master Yoda had disappeared, it no longer seemed to matter as time passed on. Qui-gon cared for Shmi, Anakin, and Obi-wan to the point he would do anything to protect them, even if it meant breaking the ideals he had spent most of his life trying to honor.

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Qui-gon asked as they neared the Skywalkers' home.

Shmi was quiet for a moment before she spoke again. "How long will you be able to stay?"

Qui-gon thought for a second. "Obi-wan should be able to keep the council distracted for about three more days. After that I have to return to the Rebellion."

They stopped right outside the apartment door. "Then just have fun with him," Shmi said. She looked up at Qui-gon with sad brown eyes. "He misses you."

Sadness and guilt filled Qui-gon at her words.

He opened the apartment door, allowing Shmi to walk in before he followed her.

"Ani?" Shmi called as she went to their small kitchen to set the groceries down. The apartment had changed little since the last time Qui-gon had been here. Tools and mechanical parts were lying everywhere despite Shmi's attempts to keep it neat and tidy. "Ani?" Shmi called out again, looking around the apartment for her young son.

"Out here, Mom!"

Qui-gon followed Shmi out the back door, and together they found young Anakin Skywalker lying underneath a large engine of a podracer. Anakin crawled out, and Qui-gon was able to get a good look of the now ten-year-old boy. His sandy blonde hair was filthy, and he was covered in grease, but his blue eyes stood out as he recognized the tall man standing next to his mother.

"Qui-gon!" He ran up the steps towards him.

Qui-gon laughed as the boy threw himself into his arms. "Look how you've grown!" He set the boy back down. In the past few months he had shot up and was just above Qui-gon's waist. "You're almost as tall as me."

Anakin grinned. "Nobody's as tall as you."

Together, the three of them worked to make dinner, and Anakin's Lifeday cake. Qui-gon had brought in sugar, a rare treat these days on Tatooine, and Shmi planned on using the fruit she had bought to make Anakin's favorite dessert. As it cooked in their little oven, Shmi, Qui-gon, and Anakin all ate at the table when Qui-gon decided to present his gift to Anakin.

The young boy carefully unwrapped the package and was surprised at all the things Qui-gon had carefully packed inside. The last time Qui-gon had visited them, Anakin had mentioned certain parts that he needed that he couldn't find in Watto's junkyard or from the Jawas they traded with. So during and in between missions, Qui-gon had kept his eyes open and collected those parts. Now, seeing the look of awe and delight on Anakin's face made all the hard bargaining and bruised knuckles worth it.

Anakin picked up a piece. "It's exactly what I need!" With that, he rushed from the table over to where his quarters were at.

Shmi looked inside the box and raised an eyebrow at Qui-gon. "I don't want to know how you got all these, do I?"

"Probably better off not knowing," Qui-gon agreed.

Shmi shook her head, but a fond smile adorned her lips.

Anakin came back out, motioning for something to come out of his room. To Qui-gon's amazement it was a protocol droid, walking as a baby would: uncertain. True, the droid was missing its coverings, and Qui-gon could see its wiring, but he could also see the care and hard work Anakin had put into rebuilding the droid as it made its way over to their table.

"Hello, I am C-3PO, human-cyborg relations. How might I serve you?"

Qui-gon's eyes glanced at Shmi to find her smiling proudly at her son, and realized that he too was smiling.

"Isn't he great? I built him to help Mom out with chores," Anakin explained. He looked at C-3PO, and a small frown appeared on his face. "Although, he's not quite finished yet. I still need to get him soe coverings and other parts."

"I beg your pardon, Master Ani, but what do you mean I require coverings?" C-3PO asked.

"Well…" Anakin shifted uncomfortably. "Your wiring is showing, and I think coverings will help keep most of the sand out of your circuits," he explained to the droid.

"My wiring is showing? You mean I'm naked?! Oh my goodness!" If he could, Qui-gon and Shmi would guess that the droid was blushing from embarrassment.

Later on that night, Qui-gon was helping Anakin get ready for bed. It had been a long night, but a fun one. After showing odd Threepio to him, Anakin had taken the other parts Qui-gon had gotten and set to work. Qui-gon had watched him fix a cooling unit, a scanner, and bring the podracer he had been working earlier to life. Seeing the happiness in Anakin brought a warmth in Qui-gon's heart that he rarely felt these days.

Before he went to bed Anakin went over to his window to look at the star systems glowing in the Tatooine night sky. "There's so many," Anakin breathed. Qui-gon chuckled, joining the young boy. Anakin pointed to a star system that appeared green and closer than the others. "What's that one called?"

"Naboo," Qui-gon answered, leaning against the windowsill. "It's a beautiful world filled with green meadows and lakes."

Anakin looked on in awe, imagining the beautiful planet he hoped to see one day. He pointed to another star system further away. "What about that one?"

"Coruscant, or as the Empire calls it: Imperial Center. It's made entirely of metal with buildings stacked on top of one another. It's the capital of the galaxy," Qui-gon explained, trying to hide the sense of sadness he felt as he thought of it. It had been his home or years before the Empire, and he hadn't seen it for ten years.

Anakin frowned, looking back into the sky. "When I get my own ship, I'm going to see everyone of those planets," he declared.

Qui-gon chuckled, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Ani, it's time for bed." They turned to see Shmi standing there at Anakin's doorway, arms crossed over her chest, and with a firm but gentle look.

Anakin reluctantly tore himself away from the window and crawled into his bed. As Shmi tucked him in, Anakin turned his head to Qui-gon. "Thank you for my Lifeday, Qui-gon."

Qui-gon smiled at the little boy. "You're welcome, Ani. Happy Lifeday."

Shmi kissed her boy goodnight and then turned the lights off.

Later on, Shmi joined Qui-gon outside on the balcony of her home, looking up at the stars. "Thank you," she said. "For making his Lifeday special.

Qui-gon looked at her, a soft but sad smile on his lips. "No matter the circumstances or what choices we make, I will be there for you and Anakin when you need me."

Shmi returned the smile, her mind on past memories and regrets.

A cool desert breeze calmly brushed them, and Shmi looked up at the star systems twinkling in the sky. "Any new developments with the Rebellion?"

Qui-gon shook his head. "Just the same stolen cargo ships and the need for allies."

"And the Jedi?"

Qui-gon was silent for a moment before he answered her. "We've been spread out in trying to cover more ground for the Rebels, and search for more of our numbers."

After the purges there were only so many Jedi left. Over the years they had been training and searching for more children to train in the Jedi arts. The searches were to also protect the younglings from any of the Sith's secret apprentices who had been hunting for them as well. Qui-gon and Obi-wan had run into these apprentices, or "Hands" as they called themselves on a few occasions. Fortunately, none of these sightings had been anywhere near Tatooine, leaving Shmi and Anakin safely alone.

Qui-gon looked at Shmi. She had her arms wrapped around herself in what seemed like an effort to keep warm in the night air, but was really shield to what was bothering her. Qui-gon also noticed the worried crease on her face as she braced herself to ask the next question. "And the Sith?"

Qui-gon took a deep breath slowly then another, knowing how painful the topic was, and yet the need to know. Ten years ago, around the time of Anakin's conception, Shmi had been preparing herself for bed like she usually did when an intruder appeared in her chambers. Shmi couldn't fight him off as he threw her unto the bed and pinned her helplessly to it without even touching her. The Jedi would later uncover his name as Darth Plagueis. He had held Shmi down using the Force, and Shmi had felt a painful, burning feeling in her lower abdomen, and still the intruder did not lay a finger on her. She tried to call out for help, but the pressure on her larynx prevented her from screaming out. The Jedi however, had been able to sense her distress. Qui-gon had been among the few to heat it, and had rushed over to help her. When he made it, the intruder took off, leaving Shmi bruised and very shaken from the encounter.

Qui-gon then told Shmi of the Emperor who had continued to threaten more and more star systems into staying with the Empire and how his apprentice Count Dooku enforced his law upon them.

Shmi looked on sadly upon the desert dark in the night. There was a time long ago that she had respected the former Jedi, even trusted him. However, all that trust had been destroyed the moment she had watched him kill a teenage padawan in front of her. Darth Tyrannus was the name the Jedi now knew him as. Shmi looked at Qui-gon who was staring out into the stars. "You look tired."

Qui-gon grinned, but there seemed to be a bit of effort in it. "Just a lot of missions catching up."

Shmi pulled him back inside the house, tugging on to him to follow her. She leads him to her bedroom where beside her bed was a mattress with a pillow and a thin blanket. Over the years, Qui-gon would always sleep on the hard sofa in their living room or even on the ground since he always refused to let Shmi sleep anywhere but her own bed. Now, after several months of saving and searching, she had finally gotten proper bedding for Qui-gon.

He raised an eyebrow at her. "I thought Anakin was the only one who received presents today."

Shmi shrugged, grabbing her nightclothes before leaving to change in another room. "Who says it's for you? Maybe I have some other man who likes to visit me at random times."

Qui-gon laughed, although he was surprised to feel a twinge of jealousy from those words.

Later, both Qui-gon and Shmi lay in their beds.

"Goodnight, Qui-gon."

"Goodnight, Shmi."

_I love you._

**The End**

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**So what do you guys think? Just a one-shot for now. I'm hoping to write an actually story for this someday, but for now I'm going to try and work and finish my Skywalker Adventures: Mysteries on Naboo. Let me know what you guys think of this.**


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